Just a question for you veteran water guys. Took my second water lesson today. Made lots of progress.....able to get my first rides in going both
directions. Such a fantastic feeling riding on soft water. Still not very consistent and need tons more work but slowly getting there.
Anyway....what I find as a tall guy with very long legs is that it's really difficult to hold the board with one hand and get my feet into the straps.
My legs are so long in relation to my arms that I struggle to get my body scrunched up enough to slip my feet in all while floating in the neutral
launch position. After an hour of practicing board starts my abs were so wore out from all the hard crunching. I had to call it a day. I'm a
slender guy so no gut to get in the way. Still find it extremely hard. Any better ways to mount a board without the grab handle? A taller handle
comes to mind immediately. Perhaps use a strap on the handle to give me more reach? There has to be a better way. This was waist deep water by the
way, not shallow tidal flats.PHREERIDER - 13-7-2016 at 06:55 AM
hey its great you are getting going on the water.
heres some options to help work through the "get the board on " issue.
first , are you putting front or back foot in first ? switching sequence may help... for ease or comfort use what feels natural.
when sitting / laying back hold the end of the board (which ever end) really jam ONE foot in solid...some what relaxed or open straps so its not
resisting entry so it goes right in to make it work. Now you should have some kinda control of board with the one foot in and as you soon as its in
quick place the other foot in and fire kite to pressure place everything. all one move QUICK and smooth.
using kite action to seat other foot is the basic element. don't fart around , its a one step move JAM, place , FIRE
and to add, solid stable kite control with one hand is essential BeamerBob - 13-7-2016 at 07:47 AM
I have the same problem. I learned it helps a lot to do what Phree is saying with one leg under the board and then let the slight pressure of the
idling kite push you into the board allowing you to wiggle your other foot in with legs relaxed and slightly bent. I have ankle and hip flexibility
issues so had to find a workaround. markite - 13-7-2016 at 08:45 AM
I have a big buddy - big in the middle - so he can't reach down and he put a little heavy line with a knot, about 8-10 inches long on his grab handle
as an extra grab line (pig tail)
in shallow water you can stand and push the board down to the bottom with one foot and then work your feet in then sit back and let the board unstick
from the bottom and rise up.carltb - 13-7-2016 at 01:14 PM
push your board under water until you can push it to the floor then just put your feet in the bindings. it will usually get stuck there so youll need
to wriggle to get it back upCheddarhead - 13-7-2016 at 03:46 PM
Thanks for the tips guys! This really helps. My instructor taught me to hold board with one hand on handle and other on center of bar. Cradle back
and lift both feet/legs up and into the straps at the same time. Quite a bit of abdominal effort to do this in deep water with long legs. Usually
wouldn't be an issue when your proficient at riding for long periods, but starting out I'm doing a lot of board starts and the leg lifting gets to be
quit a work out after some time. Feeling the hip joints this morning also!
Pushing the board to the floor is a good idea also! There were some weeds to contend with where we were so pushing board to the ground probably
wouldn't be such a good idea in this instance. I lift at the gym 2/3 times a week, but lifting my legs into the straps for an hour seemed to kick my
butt. Perhaps more time on the abs is in order:PBeamerBob - 13-7-2016 at 10:17 PM
Touching your toes to the pull-up bar is a good measure of core strength. Took me 4 months to finally get one. I did 2 sets of 5 strict ones
connected in my warmup last night. It's a huge help to have the added strength. Cheddarhead - 13-7-2016 at 11:27 PM
Touching your toes to the pull-up bar is a good measure of core strength. Took me 4 months to finally get one. I did 2 sets of 5 strict ones
connected in my warmup last night. It's a huge help to have the added strength.
Squats and deadlifts are what my routines are centered around but it's obviously not strengthening my abs adequately enough for the task at hand.
Instructor asked why I was quitting after only 1 1/2 hrs. I felt like a guppy.PHREERIDER - 14-7-2016 at 05:11 AM
Hip flexor development is a big help, pull up bar hang then draw knees to chest . It actually does abs and hip flexors . Plus once you start
jumping hip flexors are the first muscle group to fry . Hip flexors go fast if hamstring pre-stretch is high/ or better developed. Easy to add , I
do wide grip chins +knee raise crunches all in one movement . They'll get u there !Kamikuza - 15-7-2016 at 01:19 AM
I can't put both feet in straps simultaneously as my gut gets in the way. Hold the bar with left hand, and the right board strap in the right hand,
then put your left foot in, let go the strap the put your right foot in. Easy...PHREERIDER - 15-7-2016 at 06:42 AM
i think 95% of my starts are standing starts, kinda all at once
